My parents never told me Santa existed. My boys knew the truth about Santa from the beginning as well. For those of you with children who do believe in Santa, I am curious about your Christmas and gave a few questions:

How do you know what to get your child? Do you ask him/her what they want? Do you read the letter they wrote to Santa before you mail it? Or do you over hear them sitting on Santa's lap?

If your child does not get everything on his/her Christmas list what do you tell him/her?

Update: If your child is not Caucasian, did your child question that Santa is Caucasian and not your race?
and lastly
How do you explain the mall Santa's? Do you call them his "helpers"?

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We sort of halfway do Santa. He's not a big deal here, but we don't discourage the belief. We don't go visit him at the mall and we don't write letters. They make a Christmas list and we get the stuff. Usually the one big thing that we can't wrap is from Santa, the rest is from us.

We sort of halfway do Santa. He's not a big deal here, but we don't discourage the belief. We don't go visit him at the mall and we don't write letters. They make a Christmas list and we get the stuff. Usually the one big thing that we can't wrap is from Santa, the rest is from us.

I always called the mall/store/salvation army santas the helpers. This the the first year dd has written her own list. She knows it goes to grandma as well so we call it a wish list everyone can look at. She hasnt sat on anyones lap in about 3 years or so. We dont make her do that. Santa will usually give the toys (2 or 3) and we do the rest.

My kids are still young so I help them write their letters to Santa, so I know what they want and Santa only brings them one gift a year because there are so many kids that he has to get presents too. Plus we don't want to be selfish. And they do get that one gift, as far as everything else on the list they know that they do not get everything on it. And the mall Santa's are his helpers.

My son will usually make a list of things he really wants. He knows that Santa can't get everything on his list so he doesn't expect everything. I also know what he likes so if I see something thats not on the list I'll get it and of course he thinks Santa is even cooler because he knew what to get him without him having it on the list. Mall Santa's are regular people who help Santa out during the holidays. We have seen different colored santas at the different malls and my son really doesn't pay attention to color so I don't tell him anything.

No one has ever really SEEN santa (if they did, they don't get presents) so no one knows what he looks like anyway.

Or you could share the story of the ORIGINAL REAL St. Nicholas - who was the Bishop of Myra from the area around Turkey and thus, a browner-skinned man than what is currently portrayed - whose gifts of charity became the basis for Santa.

I know what to get my child from conversations throughout the course of the year; paying attention to what she says she likes/doesn't like.

We've never done a LIST to Santa (in our house ASKING for specific presents is sort of tacky)

She is thrilled with surprises of any sort so Christmas Day is magical regardless of what is and is not beneath the tree.

We sort of halfway do Santa. He's not a big deal here, but we don't discourage the belief. We don't go visit him at the mall and we don't write letters. They make a Christmas list and we get the stuff. Usually the one big thing that we can't wrap is from Santa, the rest is from us.

I'm Jewish so I didn't grow up with Santa. DH isn't Jewish so we make a big deal out of Santa (for the kids and to sort of make up for I missed out on because as a kid I felt very left out). DD is almost 8 and as of last year would ask for help with her list. Since I know what I've already bought or plan to buy, it's easy for Santa to pretty much bring what's on there. There are always things on the list that I would buy anyway like clothes so that adds to the pile and makes it look bigger. I love the magic of Santa but my kids are also very well aware of the real meaning of the holidays.